Three pencils are plenty.
Try HB, 2B, and 4B. HB suits lighter marks and structure; the softer B grades help build darker passages. Your pressure and paper also affect the result. Skip the large set until you know which grades you reach for.
The studio guides / No. 01
Drawing essentials.
A little kit.
A lot of possibility.
Begin with graphite, paper, and a willingness to look. Add charcoal when you want to explore broader marks and deeper darks.
A practical starting guide · By 14 Rue Clauzel · October 17, 2026
01
Choose your tools
Start small. Learn what each tool does.
You can begin with one HB pencil and ordinary paper. The fuller kit below gives you a few ways to explore line, value, edges, and texture without buying an entire studio.
A surface you can learn.
Choose a small drawing pad with a lightly textured surface. Smooth paper favors fine marks; more texture catches dry media differently. Test a few marks and an eraser in a corner before beginning.
Lift light back into the drawing.
A kneaded eraser lets you dab or lift graphite and charcoal. A white vinyl eraser gives a firmer edge for corrections. Work gently: repeated scrubbing can damage the paper’s surface.
A place for repetition.
Pick a size you will actually carry and open. Use it for quick observations, thumbnail compositions, and five-value studies. A separate sketchbook is optional if your drawing pad already meets that need.
Broader marks. Deeper darks.
Try a few sticks of vine or willow charcoal for loose studies. Compressed charcoal makes a stronger, more persistent dark. Begin with one type so you can learn its behavior before adding more.
Keep the setup simple.
Add a pencil sharpener, a firm drawing surface, and a clean sheet to rest under your hand. Keep charcoal dust off food and drinks; avoid blowing it into the air and use damp cleanup.
02
Buy with intention
Spend on practice before variety.
Choose one main medium first
Start with graphite if you want a compact setup for controlled marks. Try charcoal when you want to explore larger shapes and expressive tonal studies. You do not need both on day one.
Test paper before buying in bulk
Use a small pad or sample sheet. Make light and dark marks, layer them, and lift them with an eraser. Notice whether the paper supports the kind of marks you enjoy.
Leave specialist extras for later
Blending stumps, powered erasers, large pencil sets, and fixative are optional. If you later choose a fixative, follow its label and ventilation instructions. A clean interleaving sheet can help protect a practice drawing during storage.
Use what you already own first. No particular brand or purchase is required for the exercise below.
03
Make your first study
Twenty minutes.
One object. Five values.
Place a simple object near a steady side light. A mug, folded cloth, or piece of fruit will do. Work in graphite or charcoal and concentrate on the relationship between light and dark.
1 · Light
2
3
4
5 · Dark
- Minutes 0–3 / Look before drawing.Find the lightest area, darkest area, and largest shadow shape. Leave small details alone.
- Minutes 3–6 / Place the big shapes.Draw the outer shape lightly. Check its width against its height and notice the space around it.
- Minutes 6–12 / Group the shadows.Block in the large shadow family with a middle value. Preserve the paper for the main lights.
- Minutes 12–17 / Set the darks and edges.Add the darkest accents selectively. Compare a sharp edge with a soft transition.
- Minutes 17–20 / Step back.Ask whether the object reads clearly without details. Adjust one value relationship, then stop.
Keep a visible record.
Date the study. Write one thing you noticed and one thing to try next. Repeat the same object tomorrow; compare the drawings instead of judging either one in isolation.
04
Make it yours
Your drawing-kit checklist.
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Keep exploring
Tools serve the work.
Return to the directory to explore suppliers, or visit Clausell Sylvester Art for the art behind this resource.